Alain Antil, a researcher from the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), provides an interesting analysis of the root causes of insecurity in Sahelian countries. While the areas affected by violence in the Sahel continue to expand, socio-economic and demographic trends further exacerbate existing fragilities, especially in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. “Far from being able to deliver basic services or even the most rudimentary infrastructure, the states no longer even fulfil their sovereign functions: security, justice... Other actors have taken over and exercise a sort of shared governance,” Antil explains. Read on

Ibrahim Mayaki, AUDA-NEPAD chief executive officer and SWAC honorary president, shared his vision about key issues that will drive the debate about Africa’s development at the conference “Rethinking development in Africa,” held on 27 September 2019 at the Columbia University in New York. “Development means liberating potential and energies from the bottom up,” he tweeted to his 28.5K followers Read on

ECOWAS leaders gathered on 14 September in Ouagadougou at an extra-ordinary session on terrorism. While calling upon the UN Security Council to resolve the Libyan crisis, ECOWAS leaders adopted a priority action plan for 2020-24 focusing on eight areas. In a bid to leverage member countries’ contributions and strengthen ECOWAS leadership, the authority pledged USD 1 billion for the community’s counter-terrorism efforts. Read on

The government of Mali, with the support of the UEMOA Commission and its international partners, multiplies efforts to bring back peace in its fragile border regions. They held a three-day workshop to launch an inclusive dialogue on peace, security and development issues in Mali’s border areas. The inception workshop was held in Sikasso, in southern Mali, from 15-17 July 2019. Several intra-community peace agreements have been concluded. Read on